An evening program located in the heart of Denver, your education will allow you to specialize your business education to the health administration field. As a part of the Business School Alliance for Health Management (BAHM), we are among a small group of top-ranked institutions including Harvard, Northwestern, and University of Pennsylvania – Wharton.

As a CAHME-accredited institution, our students can apply for prestigious administrative one-year residencies or two-year fellowships during their final year. This program is suited for students with limited health work experience. It is rotation-based and/or project-based in health care organizations around the country. You’ll gain experience across a number of business areas within the health care system. This opportunity often leads to a permanent position.

This degree targets students who have a formal business education or an MBA degree and are looking to specialize within the health care industry.

For over 50 years, our competitive MS Health Administration program has brought in a diverse set of students from a wide variety of backgrounds including pharmacists, physicians, and entrepreneurs. Highlights of the program include:

A field study built into the curriculum to give you practical experience

Strong ties to the health community in Colorado and across the nation at hospitals, HMOs, medical group practices, and consulting companies

Flexibility to work full-time while completing the degree with evening and online class options

You’ll receive real-world experience as a part of this degree. Through the capstone health field study course, you’ll relate your classroom knowledge directly to problems facing hospitals and other health care organizations.

The curriculum is identical to our Health Administration MBA degree with the ability to waive core business coursework that may be repetitive from a prior business degree. The MS Health Administration consists of 30 credit hours total and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME). You may need to take up to 15 hours of additional coursework outlined in the Common Body of Knowledge to ensure a strong business foundation.

Common body of knowledge (15 hours)

These courses can be individually waived based on prior education. They give a broad foundation of business knowledge.

Health care leadership

Data analysis

Accounting

Operations management

Finance

Health administration core (21 hours)

These classes help you understand the health care landscape and policy shaping the industry today.

Health care law and ethics

Health care marketing

Health care strategy

Health care systems

Health field studies capstone

Health care economics

Health care quality and outcomes

Health administration information technology elective (3 hours)

It’s impossible to separate data from health care. With this course, you’ll be able to understand how to make decisions based on data to create holistic pictures of patients, treatments, communication, and health outcomes.

Health administration electives (6 hours)

Additional coursework can be tailored to your interests and include special topics such as:

Building biotechnology

Leadership in new ventures

Profiles in health care

International health policy

Travel study

Health field studies capstone

Taken in the last semester of your degree, you’ll be matched with a health care organization. Past projects have included working directly with CEOs of hospitals on feasibility studies for high-impact decisions.

Tuition

Residents of western states may qualify for in-state tuition if they are pursuing this degree. The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) requires that students maintain current residency of WRGP state until degree completion.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available for students. The Business School offers a recurring scholarship opportunity for applicants based on merit at the time of admission. You must have submitted your application by the priority deadline to be eligible for the Dean’s Super Merit Scholarship.

Dean's Super Merit Scholarship

$3,000-$5,000 for incoming students who have a GMAT score over 680. You will be automatically be contacted for consideration.

MBA Outstanding Scholarship

Up to $1,000 for current students who have demonstrated integrity, leadership, and teamwork.

Health Administration Scholarship

As funds are available, the program awards one-time scholarships to incoming students with exceptional merit. No application is necessary and qualified applicants will be contacted directly if they are considered.

Application Checklist

$50 domestic, $75 international application feeOnline application 2-3 letters of recommendation GMAT/GRE score—other graduate entrance exams may be considered upon request Official transcripts from each college or university attended Four short essays Resume TOEFL or IELTS score—international applicants only

We admit students for a fall, spring, or summer start. Admissions are made on a rolling basis, meaning decisions are made as applications are completed.

Application Process

Applicants are required to submit all application materials. Interviews are a part of the admission process. Because of the program’s competitive nature and limited space, we strongly recommend submitting your application as early as possible.

You can check your admission status online through the account you created for the online application. Within two to three weeks from submission of all materials, you will be notified if you are moving forward in the admissions process.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must have completed an undergraduate program at an accredited United States college or its equivalent in another country.

The GMAT is required for admission, however, the GRE, MCAT, LSAT, or PCAT may be substituted. GMAT waivers are available to students who already have a graduate degree.

No work experience or formal business education is required for admission.

International Students

To meet the English Language Proficiency (ELP) criteria, you must either showcase your proficiency through past education in English instruction or an English Language Proficiency test. If you are a citizen of a country whose official language is English, you do not have to prove proficiency. See below for a listing of accepted countries.

To claim proficiency, you must complete one of the following criteria. Please note that test scores are valid for two years.

Earned an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in the United States or has successfully completed a minimum of two semesters of full-time study in a master’s program at an accredited institution in the United States.

Have graduated from a US/UK accredited school abroad with English as the medium of instruction.

Earned an associate's or bachelor's degree in the US or have successfully completed a minimum of two semesters of full-time study in a master's program at an accredited institution in the US.

Be a citizen of a country whose official language is English. These countries include Australia, Belize, Botswana, Canada (except Quebec), Commonwealth Caribbean, Ghana, United Kingdom, Ireland, Kenya, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

To be eligible for scholarships you must apply by the priority deadlines. Plan to submit materials early to expedite processing. Deadlines apply to all required documents. Please note that if you apply by the final deadlines many classes may be full.

Dual degree options for the Health Administration programs include any Master of Science program at the Business School. We design a specific degree plan so you get through both programs as quickly and cost effectively as possible. Eligible Master of Science programs include:

MS Accounting

MS Business Analytics

MS Finance and Risk Management

MS Global Energy Management

MS Information Systems

MS Management

MS Marketing

MS Taxation

If you are applying for two degrees through the CU Denver Business School, you will only need to submit one application.

Limited space available. The program may fill prior to the application deadline. It is in your best interest to apply well in advance to the application deadline to allow for your complete application to still be reviewed.

Plan to submit materials early to expedite processing. Deadlines apply to all required documents. To be eligible for scholarships you must apply by the priority deadlines. Please note that if you apply by the final deadlines many classes may be full. Course offerings are limited for summer.

Domestic applicants

Summer and Fall: February 15

Spring: October 15

International applicants

Summer and Fall: January 15

Spring: September 15

Take the next step in your career.

90%+

job placement over the past three years

700+

health field study projects have been completed for Colorado health care organizations